The Kabul Tribune (KT) — The 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on August 31 caused an estimated $183 million in direct damage to buildings and infrastructure, the World Bank reported Friday, in what was the deadliest quake in the country since 1998.
The earthquake killed around 2,000 people and severely
affected an estimated 500,000 to 1.3 million residents, according to the
Afghanistan Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimate (GRADE) report. The
report provides a rapid, model-based assessment of economic losses to physical
assets but does not include production, income losses, or reconstruction costs.
Residential buildings bore the brunt of the damage,
accounting for roughly 35% of total losses, followed by non-residential
buildings and agricultural structures. Kunar and Nangarhar provinces were the
hardest hit, responsible for 97% of the total estimated damage, or $134.7
million and $42.6 million, respectively.
The World Bank noted that many homes in affected areas were
highly vulnerable, with earthen and stone masonry, heavy roofs, and weak
mortar. Agricultural losses, including damaged grain storage and livestock
shelters, were significant, while health and education services were disrupted.
The report also highlighted pre-existing vulnerabilities,
including limited healthcare, poor market access, gender inequality, conflict,
and weak water and sanitation systems, which could exacerbate the disaster’s
effects and slow recovery.
“The World Bank stands in solidarity with the people of
Afghanistan following the devastating earthquake in the eastern provinces,”
said Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Afghanistan. “Our
priority is to work closely with partners to support emergency response,
recovery, and long-term resilience—ensuring critical services reach the most
vulnerable, especially women and children.”
Within days of the earthquake, the World Bank allocated up
to $15 million from existing projects to support emergency efforts.
Cash-for-work programs under the Community Resilience and Livelihoods Project
are helping restore roads, irrigation canals, reservoirs, and drinking water
systems, while social grants provide assistance to vulnerable households. The Afghanistan
Health Emergency Response Project is supplying medical care to 24 affected
health facilities.
The GRADE report stressed that recovery and reconstruction
costs are likely to far exceed the immediate damage estimates. Targeted
recovery strategies will need to address humanitarian needs, consider gender
and conflict dynamics, and respond to broader socioeconomic disruptions.
The World Bank, in collaboration with the Global Facility
for Disaster Reduction and Recovery and Japan’s Ministry of Finance, has long
supported countries in assessing hazards, addressing disaster risks, and
enhancing resilience to natural disasters.
